If there’s one thing the UFC really wants you to know about tonight’s main event between reigning light heavyweight king Jon Jones and his challenger Alexander Gustafsson, it’s that “greatness is within reach.”

Equipped with a catchy tagline and a really awesome poster, UFC 165 has been brilliantly promoted but hardcore fans know enough about the sport to understand Gustafsson’s height and reach won’t do much for him once he steps into the octagon with Jones.

But it isn’t all about Jones and Gustafsson, UFC 165 also boasts a co-main event between interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao and Eddie Wineland and a main card that includes a friends-turned-foes match between heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione, a middleweight showdown between Costa Philippou and Francis Carmont and an exciting lightweight tilt between Pat Healy and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

A whole lot has been made of Alexander Gustafsson being the tallest guy with the longest reach Jon Jones has ever faced. That might be a fact, but it won’t be a factor once both fighters step into the octagon on tonight.

Gustafsson is certainly a gifted light heavyweight and he’s compiled a pretty impressive resume over the last couple years, but Jones is on a complete other level athletically. With unpredictable strikes and unbelievable power, Jones shouldn’t have any problem implementing whatever game plan he chooses against the 26-year-old Swedish contender.

Inevitably, people will point to the shocking middleweight championship bout between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman earlier this year, but even though Gustafsson might prove more challenging than his other opponents — Jones is still the man at 205 by a long mile.

Eddie Wineland is a bantamweight with some scary, not to mention rare, knockout power. The first man to ever finish Scott Jorgensen via knockout and one of the better 135ers in the UFC in terms of striking, Wineland has certainly earned his shot at the interim title.

Renan Barao is easily the most underrated champion out of any division in the UFC. His pinpoint striking compliments his superb submission game and he’s almost like a smaller version of training partner Jose Aldo.

Wineland has the ability to knock anyone in the division out, even Barao. The reality is, however, Barao’s deep skill set will be too much for Wineland to handle if he comes out full blast and doesn’t get the quick finish.

Pat’s Pick: Barao via submission

Heavyweight: Brendan Schaub vs. Matt Mitrione

Much has been made of the verbal battle heading into this fight but when it’s all said and done, one of these guys is likely to add another knockout victory to their portfolio.

Brendan Schaub comes in as the more well-rounded fighter with a solid jiu-jitsu base under Rener and Ryron Gracie as well as impressive punching power as seen in his fight against kickboxing legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 128.

Matt Mitrione, on the other hand, is pretty much all knockouts, all day. After two consecutive losses against Cheick Kongo and Roy Nelson, Mitrione sent a message at UFC on Fuel TV: Mousasi vs. Latifi in April after knocking Phil De Fries out in the first 20 seconds of their fight.

This one is going to come down to pure striking power and it’s likely Mitrione has more of it.

Pat’s Pick: Mitrione via KO

Middleweight: Costa Philippou (7) vs. Francis Carmont

Undefeated in the UFC, Francis Carmont faces his biggest test yet against top-ten fighter Costa Philippou who will be looking to get one step closer to being the next middleweight championship contender.

Though Carmont comes into the fight with no UFC losses, his last two victories over Tom Lawlor and Lorenz Larkin were both considered controversial decisions that could have easily been scored in favour of his opponents. That being said, Carmont is still an extremely dangerous submission specialist that knows how to fight off his back.

Philippou has crisp, precise boxing and holds a significant striking advantage over Carmont. If he’s able to avoid the takedowns Carmont is likely to throw at him, Philippou should be able to pick his opponent apart with hard, accurate punches for the victory.

Pat’s Pick: Philippou via unanimous decision

Lightweight: Pat Healy (10) vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

A “Fight of the Night” favourite, Pat Healy is finally back and hopes to make Khabib Nurmagomedov his first official UFC victim.

The reality is a little tougher for Healy as the 20-0 Nurmagomedov has proved time and time again why he’s considered one of the top lightweight prospects in the UFC and a fighter with all the skills to be a future contender.

With outstanding striking and vicious takedowns, Nurmagomedov is dangerous wherever the fight goes but one thing he’ll have to break is Healy’s sheer competitiveness.

After getting rocked in the first round of their fight at UFC 159, Healy came back strong against Jim Miller and finished the fight with a nasty rear naked choke before the fight was ruled a no contest after he tested positive for marijuana.

It should be close, real close, but if it gets to the dogfight fans are expecting — look for the young Russian to continue his climb up the lightweight ranks.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.